Time-controlled smoke-preventer.



B. L. AMES. TIME CONTROLLED SMOKE PREVENTER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 28, 1908.

Patented Dec. 7, 1909. s sums-sum 1.

B. L. AMES. TIME CONTROLLED SMOKE PREVENTER.

APPLIGATION FILED FEB.2B, 1908.

Patented Dec. 7, 1909 QSHEETS-SHEBT 2.

piazza B. L. AMES. TIME CONTROLLED SMOKE PREVENTER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 2-8, 1908.

Patented Dec. 7, 1909.

3 SHEETS-BHEBT 3.

'QQQ H EZ wfd gflwawiaw y M, @410 To all wl'iom it may concern:

UNrr stars raga ianan'roan'n. AMES, or BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

TIME-CONTROLLED snoxn-rnnvnivrnra.

Specification of Be it known that 1, BRADFORD L.-AMES, a citizen of the United States, residing at Boston county'ofSndol-k, State of Massachusetts, haveinvented arcertain new and useful Improvement in TimeeGontrolled Smoke-Preventers, of which the following is a specification, reference being hadtherein to the atcompanying drawings.

' provided.

In the operation of furnaces' for boilers,

various means of preventing issuance of black smoke from the chimney have been A; common ineans'is to introduce air directly over the fire by means of jets of steam from steam nozzles. Fpr the best operation of these devices, the introduction of the air should take place only for a limited period oftime immediately after fresh coal has been, placed upon the fire, and the sup-- ply of air should be stopped after a period of time determined by the conditions in the furnace. To accomplish this, the valvecontrolling the'steain nozzle and the damper controllling the supply ofair should both be closed. Heretofore the damper and thesteam valve have been opened automatically by the opening of the furnace door, but the closingofthe furnace door does not operate to shut off the steam or to close the air damper bedause it is desirablethat the supply of air should be continued for some minutes (under ordinary conditions about five) after fresh coal liasbecn placed upon the fire. Sometimes it has been left to the attention of thejfireman to shut the steam valveand closethe dampers and sometimes the closing of the valve-and dampersis done byv automatic apparatus but such apparatus has been-clumsy and ineifective. I find in practice that this duty seldom properly performed by the fireman who frequently in uneconomical conditions in the furnaceor .allows the steaml valve and air dampers to remain open all the time or he closes them immediately after firing, and this carelessness on the part of the fireman results either applicationfiled February 28, 1908. Serial No. 418,210.

Letters Patent. Patented Dec. 7, 19mg.

means by which the air blast 1s turned. on.

by theop'ening of the door and is shut off at the end of a predetermined period of'tiine which may be varied according to the conditions existing in the furnace.

It .consists essentially in door operated mechanism "for operating the air dampers and steam valve in one direction, and timecontrolled mechanism for releasing at the end of said predetermined period of time the spring which moves-the air dampers and steanrvalve in the other direction, said't-imecontrolled mechanism being arranged to operate' the said mechanical parts through electric connections whereby I am enabled to locate the delicate parts of the mechanism 'at a distance from the furnace so that these parts are not subjected to the iiijuriousconditions prevailing immediately about" the furnace.

The device embodying my invention is so constructed that an exceedingly small bat-" tery current is required, the only power re-' quired being that which is necessary to trip the operating mechanism.

The devices, en'ibodying my invention are also constructed so'rthatby a small multi-f plication of parts it is possible to control independently the smoke preventers attached to several boilers from the same tip-1 paratus. D I

The invention will be fully understood from the followingdescription taken in con-1 nection with the accompanying drawings, and the novel features are pointed out and clearly defined n the claims at the close of the specification.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a trontjele vation of a portion of a boiler provided with three smoke preventers operated by a device ,ombodying my invention, certain'parts of said device being indicated diagrammatically for. convenience-of i'lli' stration. Fig. 9; is a side view on an enlarged scale, and

partly diagrammatic, of the time-controlled mechanism and part ofthe operating means by which the air dampers and steamyalve are operated. Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the time-controlled mechanism shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 4-. is a detail of the rack and pinion showing cont-act piece 50 and brush detail of the valve stem.

Referring 'to the drawings,-there is particularly the roller bearing' for the rack 20. Fig. 5 is a detail of the- 52. Fig; 6 is a shown atll and 12 the two furnace do0rs,'

- 16 which is aquick acting valve operated by the rotating valve spindle 17. The said.

air dampers 13, 13, and the said steam valve 16 may together he termed the operating means for the smoke preventers as the smoke preventer is set in operation by opening the said dampers and valve. A pin 19 on an arm 18 on the lower end of said valve spindle 17 engages one of the doors l1, 12, so

I that the opening of the door turns the said valve spindle 17 and opens the said steam supply valve. The said valve spindle 17 is provided With a pinion 191 which engages a rack 20 carried in brackets 21 across the front of the furnace. The valve spindle 17 is provided with a sliding connection which permits of a slight vertical variation in the position of the said valve with relation to the pinion 191 and rack 20 so that a slight vertical displacement of the valve 16 will not cause the said rack and pinion to bind. This sliding connection consists in a pin 171 Fig. (3) on the lower end of the valve spindle 17 and at right angles thereto, said pin being received in two vertical slots 172 in a collar 173 made fast to the lower half of the valve spindle which is numbered 174. Hereafter in this specification the two halves of the valve spindle are referred to collectively as the valve spindle 17 The rotating air dampers 13 are operated by the longitudinal movement 4 of the rack, 20 through a connecting rod 22 and links 23 pivoted at their ends to the said air dampers 13 and sliding connecting rod 22 respectively. In order that said rack 20 may not bind and that it may be more readily slidable, I'provide roller bearings 24 in said bracket 21, see more particularly Fig. .l. At the opposite end of the sliding rod 22 I place a second rack 25 operating a pinion 26 mounted on a shaft 27. This rack 25 is behind the said pinion 26. This shaft carriesupon its upper end a stop plate 28 provided with projections 29 which will be hereinafter more fully described. About the shaft 27 is placed a spring 30, one end of which is fast to a fixed part and the other end of which is fastto said step plate 28 and tends to restore the shaft 27, pinion "26,

'rack 25 and sliding bar 22 to their original position after the opening of the doors.

From the description thus 'far it will be seen that when either of the furnace doors 'll'and 12 is opened, the operating means for the smoke preventers, that is the air dampers and steam valve are actuated by projections is dependent upon the condithe movement to the right of the sliding member 22 and that except for the action of the spring 30, said parts will remain in this position until they are restored to their normal position. The restoration of the parts to the normal position is accomplished by the spring 30 which is brought into action by time controlled mechanism operating to release the stop plate 28 at the predetermined time as will be later described.

The stop plate 28 is provided ,with a series of cam-shaped projections S9, which .-.iay,"if more convenient, be made in the form of notches and the number of said cam-shaped 8O tions under which said device is to be used. In practice I have found six a convenient number. Above the stop plate 28 and' pivoted at 55 is a locking piece 56 provided with a substantially circular surface of two diiferent curvatures as shown at 57 and 58, said two different surfaees'being separated by a very small notch 5 tit 60 is pivoted a trigger (31 provided with a surface. 62 concentric with the said surface 57 and having a point which engages the notch 59 when the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 3. From the lower side of the locking piece 56 projects a pawl '63 provided with an inclined bottom and slidably mounted in the said locking piece 56. The said pawl63 is yieldingly pressed down upon the stop plate 28 by the spring 61 so that it is allowed to yield upwardly and ride up over the cam pieces 29 as the stop plate is rotated with the shaft 27. When the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 3, the projections 29 are held against the pawl 63 by the spring 30 and the parts remain in the position shown in Fig. 3 until the trigger 61 is moved. When the trigger 61 is moved, the point of the trigger is released from the notch 29 and the pressure upon the pawl 63 causes the locking piece 5(3.to fly up into the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2 and 110 thereby release the stop plate and allow it to rotate under the pressure of the spring 30. The time-controlled means by which the trigger 61 is moved and the locking piece 56 is released will now be described. 115

lieferring now to Figs. 2 and 3 there is in-' dicated at 31 the shaft of a clock-work mechanism 820 and said shaft 31 is caused torevolve by any convenient system of springs and toothed wheels and to make one com- 120 plete revolution in substantially an hour. I have shown the clock-work somewhat conventionally as such clock-Work is old in the art. I prefer to use the movement of an ordinary eight-day clock. To the shaft 31, is 125 fastened a disk or pin-carrier 32 provided with a series of notches 33'on its periphery. The said pin-carrier 32 is mounted loosely upon the shaft 31 and is caused to rotate with the said shaft by means ofa springwls clutch 310,-but at intervals the said pincarrier is held from rotating by means of a latch 40 pivoted at 41 the point of said latch engaging one of the notches 33. 'Arranged "upon said wheel and on opposite sides thereof are two series of pins 34 and 35 located in holes drilled in the pin-carrier 32 and the said pins 34.- and 35 make contact at intervals determined bytheir position on the said pin-carrier 32 with a pair of brushes 36 and 37 mounted on an insulating support 38. The pins are in the embodiment shown in the drawing, set in the face of the pin-carrier 32-opposite to each notch 33 in the periphery, of said pin-carrier 32, but the pins 3+ on the right hand side of the pincarrier as seen in Fig. 3 are set at convenient intervals, the distance of any pin 34 from the preceding notch 33 determining the lengthof time during which the valve and air dampers remain open. As shown in the drawings, this time is five minutes, but if a longer time is desired, the pins 34 are set farther apart by means of additional holes 3!.) driilcd in the said pin-carrier 32 or if a shorter time is desired, each of said pins is set nearer to the notch 33 to which it cor-. responds. in practice I find it convenient to have the said holes 39 drilled inthe pincarrier at minute intervals, The pins'35 serve to operate the devices by means of which the pin-carrier is released and al lowed to revolve. Above the said pin-car'- rler is a solenoid 43 which is energ zed at certain intervals to 11ft 1i.S .core 431 and to {cause the lower headed end 401 of said core c to strike the saidlatch 40 a blow and thereby lift it ai'ul'release the pin-carrier 42 so that the pin-carrier may rotate with the shaft 3t. ()n the second-handshaft 4A: of the clock movement is located av star-wheel 45 which rotates with the said shaft once. aminute and beneath the said star-wheel is a brush 46 which contacts at intervals with the points of the said star-wheel. This brush is connected by thewire l? with the battery 48, and the other side of said battery being grounded at'49. -It will, there-v forcfbe seen that the star-wheel 45. makes contact five times for each revolution; that is, five tunes in each'mmutc, but the said contacts are very, short, bein'gnot more than two or three seconds at a time. In this way the battery current is greatly conserved without atfecting'the operation'of the machine. When the brush 46 is" in'cont-act' with the star wheel 45', the electric current from the battery passes through -the wire 47, the brush 46am} the 's'tar'wheel 45 to the frame Work of the ole 'kymdviijentaiand thence to the sha ft31,- si' e tho-parts are:of metal and the brush t6, aspre'viousl stated,

is insulated fronrthe frame of t eclock' movement.

and pinion 25.

' I On the-shaft- .Q'lthe' stoP plate 28 13;

located acircular contact piece 50 provided With an insulating sector 51 (see Fig. 5.) A' brush 52'mounted on some convenient fixed portion and insulated therefrom at 53 bears upon the said circular piece 50 and makes contact therewith except when it is upon the insulating sector 51 when the said contact is broken. I

Beneath the end of the trigger 61 is located a solenoid 65 provided with a core 66, and this solenoid is connected-at one end with the brush 36 by means of the wirc'rtii', and at the other end with the brush 52 by means of'the wire 68. The said brush is connected with the solenoid &3 by wire 69 and the other end of said solenoid i3 is connected with the brush 3? by means of the wire 70. As previously stated, brush 4%, v \Vh1Cl1 contacts with the star-wheel 45, is

connected with the main circuit of the battery 48 by means of the wire 47, the other side of said battery being connected with the ground 49. v

The operation of the devices shown and described herein are as follows: When the fireman opens the door to put coal upon the fire, the Slldlllf bar or connecting rod 22 is moved to theright in Fig. 1 by means of the arm 18, rack 20 and pinion 191. The movement of the sliding bar 22 tothe right causes the shaft 27 and the stop plate 28 mounted thereon to rotate by means of the rack 26 This rotation of the shaft 27 causes the brush 52 to contact with the noninsulate'd portion of the contact piece 50 and as the shaft is grounded, permits current to flow from the battery through the solenoid 43 in the following path, thereby energizing thesolenoid 43. The current from the battery flows through the wire 47 to the brush which contacts five times a minute with the the current passes from the battery into the clock work and from one of the pins 35 which is then in contact with the brush 37 (at this timc the brush 36 is not in contact with any of the pins 34) through the wire 70 tothesolenoid 43, thereby energizing it. Fromthe solenoid 43, the current passes through the wire 69 to the brush 52' and thence to the ground through the shaft 27.

Prior to this time, the pin-carrier 3 2 'has been stationary, bein allowed tosli oft-the shaft 31 by means at the clutch. 'henthe solenoid 43 is energized, the latch 40 is lifted so that its point. is-free from'the notch 33 in which it rests, thereby releasing the pin-carrier'32 andallowing it to rotate with the shaft 31. The rotation of the in-ca-rrier 5,32

then carries the pint-35' out 0 contact with the brush 37, hreakin the circuit through the solenoid 4,3, and a1 owing the, latch 40 to I drop again'onto. the periphery-of the'piir' carrier 32-. ';Further rotation of the-pin-car rier brings one of the pins 34 in contact with the brush 36 so that the next time the starwheel 45 contacts with the brush 46, the circu-it in which is placed the'solenoid (35 is energized and the core of the said solenoid is caused to move upward and strike the trigger 61, thereby releasing the locking piece 56 and allowing the stop plate 28 to be rotated by the spring 30. This rotation of the shaft 27 by the spring 30 closes the air dampers 13 and the steam valve 16 and restores the parts to the original condition, bringing the brush 52 on the insulating sector of the contact piece 50. The brush 36 is of such a length that it remains on each of the pins 3-1 for a relatively long time and the circuitin which the solenoid 65 is located is closed during this time, whenever the star-wh eel 45 contacts with the brush 46. By this means, the certainty of action of the device is materially increased for the armature 66 of the solenoid strikes the trigger ($1 a number of blows if the first one is not sufficient to move the trigger and release the parts, but this action only takes place in case the first blow of the armature failed torelease the trigger. Therotation of the pin-carrier 32 continues after the brush 36 has broken contact with the pin 34 until the latch 40 drops into the next notch 33 in the pin-carrier 32. At this time the brush 37 is on the pin 35 and the circuit from the star-wheel L5, through the soleno' t3 which operates the latch s0, is again in condition to be closed when the furnace door is opened and the brush 52 makes contact with the contact piece 50.

By supplying the shaft 31 with a second pin-carrier 32 and with corresponding brushes 36, 37 and solenoid 43 the smoke pleVelltOl'S on a second boiler may be operated by a single clockwork, and if desired the nnn'iber of boilers may be increased by a corresponding duplication of parts.

I claim as my invention',

1. In a smoke-preve-i'iter and in combination with operating means therefor, dooroperated means for actuating said operating means in one direction, a spring for actuating it in the other direction, a ratchet and pawl to hold the spring after the movement in the first direction, and releasing means for said pawl comprising a clock-train, an electric circuit normally open, a solenoid in said circuit to act on said pawl, and a contact device actuated by the clock-train to close the circuit at the end of a predetermined period of time.

2. In a smoke preventcr and in (-oi'nbination with operating n'ieans therefor, dooroperated means for actuating said operating means in one'dir'ection, aspring for actuating said operating means in the other direc- .tion, a stop plate and pawl for said spring, a solenoid to move the pawl and release the stop plate and spring, tiinc-controlled mechanisni, and electric connections between said time controlled mechanism and said solenoid.

In a smoke-preventer and in combination with operating means therefor, dooroperated means for actuating said operating means in one direction, a spring for actuating it in the other direction, a ratchet and pawl to hold the spring after the movement in the first direction, and releasing means for said pawl. comprising a clock-train, an electric circuit normally open, a solenoid in said circuit to act on said pawl, a contact device rotatable with said clock-t ain to close the circuit at the end of a pre-determined period of time after said contact begins to rotate, a latch to keep the contact from rotating, a solenoid to operate said latch, a second circuit through said solenoid and a contact operated by the door-o )erated means to close the last n'lentioned circuit, lift the latch, and allow the lirst mentioned contact to begin to rotate when the door operated means is moved in the first direction.

i. In a smoke preventer and in combination with the doors of a furnace, the airdamper and the steam valve actuated in. one direction by the door of the furnace, a source of electric energy, a clock movement,

a pin-carrier on shaft thereof, a clutch to 5 cause said pin-carrier to turn with said shaft, a latch to hold the pin-carrier from rotation, actuating means operated by a moven'ient of a furnace door. to move the latch and set the pin c arrier in motion, pins on said pin-car rler, and a brush making contact with one of said pins after a predetermined interval to close a circuit and actuate the said air damper and steam valve in the opposite direction.

5. In a smoke preventer and in combination with operating means therefor, door operated means for actuating said operating means in one direction, a spring for :nztuating said operating means in the other direction, a stop plate and pawl for said spring, a solenoid to move the pawl and release the stop plate and spring, a source of electric energy, a clock movement, a pin-carrier on a shaft thereof, pins on said pin-carrier, and a brush making contact with said pins at predetermined intervals to close a circuit through the said solenoid and release the said spring.

(3. In a smoke preventer in combination with operating means therefor, door-o])elatcd means for actuating said operating means in one direction, a spring for operating said actuating means in the other direction, a, rotating stop plate, and pawl for said spring, a solenoid to move the pawl and release the stop plate and spring. a'

notches in its periphery, a latch engaging the notches in the'peripheryfof the said'pincarrier, a solenoid operating'said latch, an electr c clrcuit through the SB'ld ,solenoid, two'sets of 1ns-on said pin-carrier, two

brushes, oneor each' set ofpins, one brush making contact .with one set of pins to close the circuit through the said solenoid and release the said stop plate and pawl, and the Other brush contactmg'with the other set of with operating means therefor, .15

, pins to close the circuit through the said last mentioned solenoid and-lift the said latch to' allow the said pin-carrier to move.

7.' In a smoke preventer, in combination [door-operoperating ated means for actuating said for operatmeans-in one direction, a spring ing 'saidactuating means in the other direction, arotating stop' plate and pawl for said spring, a solenoidto move the pawl and release the stop plate and spring, a source of electric energy, a clock movement, a pin- .carr'ier on a shaft thereof, having notches in'its periphery, 'a latch engaging the notches n the periphery of the said p n-carrier, a

, two brushes,

solenoid operating said latch, a circuit through the said solenoid, a rotating contact rotating with the said stop plate and having a portion thereof insulated, a brush contacting with the said rotating contact to ground other brush contacting with the other set of pins to close the circuit through the last mentioned solenoid and to lift the said latch to allow the pin-carrier to move, the said last mentioned brush being in electric connection 'With the brush contacting with'thc said rotating contact to. make connection with the ground and close the circuit.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature, in presence of two wltnesses.

Witnesses:

GEORGE I. DIKE, v Amen H. MORRISON.

BRADFORD L. 'AMES. i 

